Thursday, April 29, 2010

WW1 hatred rears its ugly head

Well, I was going to post a couple of pretty pictures including one of the steam train I managed to capture chugging through Oakleigh on its way to the wilds of Pakenham.
But Howard has demanded my attention in his comment on my photos of Anzac Day.

Howard said...
The flag with Attaturk on it is an insult to the whole thing.

April 28, 2010 11:07 PM

Mestafa Ataturk was commander of the 19th Division of the Turkish Army and was defending his home land against the Anzac invasion.

After the war he dragged Turkey into the 20th century, wanting peace and friendship, then in 1934 he famously wrote this dedication to the fallen Anzacs:

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours... you, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land. They have become our sons as well.

Yes, Howard, before you ask my father's family lost several sons in the Gallipoli campaign.
I suggest you look closely at the banners in the last two pictures to see both the Turkish and Aussie flags together with Mestafa Ataturk's words on one banner with the other reading

"Give Australia more than she gives you"

The only insult, Howard, is your inability to look beyond a past foe to see today's friend.

6 comments:

Unlike many who Australia fought against, Australian soldiers had much respect for the Turks. Given how many killed on each side, we should be bitter enemies, but to our and Turkey's credit, we are not.

I agree with you Jayne. i find it sad that 'Howard' has not moved on. Like the chap who commented on my post about the belly dancers complaining about my use of the word 'shelia' because ... because he could not see any Aussies in the images.

I feel saddened that they are not able to reconfigure their own emotional reactions to a new changed world.

I value the participation of the Turks (& Attaturk) in our remembering.